Bandwagon Backlash Tracker Q4 2025

Overview

Built from analysis of more than 1,400 global news and commentary articles, the Bandwagon Backlash Tracker Q4 2025 examines how the AI economy narrative has evolved — from unbounded optimism to a more cautious, proof-driven story.

Across media coverage, investors, policymakers, and corporate leaders are now asking a different question: not “what can AI do?” but “will the returns justify the capital invested?”

This edition helps communications and marketing leaders identify where enthusiasm is peaking, scepticism is building, and how to lead the conversation before it turns into backlash.

Highlights

• Proof replaces promise. The AI economy has shifted from visionary claims to demands for measurable results — customer adoption, ROI, and efficiency outcomes.

• Investor patience is shorter. Articles now link valuation and margin guidance directly to narrative credibility.

• Polarisation rises. The Controversy Index hit one of its highest readings this year, reflecting growing tension between hype and evidence.

• Global implications. Export controls, supply-chain pressure, and geopolitical exposure now appear as standard context in AI coverage.

• What wins. Brands leading the conversation pair ambition with clear proof points and transparent risk framing.

Methodology

The Tracker draws on iN/Ntelligence’s Narrative Tracker, which enriches articles with sentiment, entity, and topic metadata.

Through non-negative matrix factorisation (NMF) topic modelling, we detect dominant narratives and their evolution across time and geography, mapping share of voice, sentiment dispersion, and contrarian language to reveal where attention and tension are highest.

Why it matters

AI has outgrown its “tech story” label — it now defines how markets allocate capital and how brands build credibility.

The winners are those who prove business impact through real numbers, transparent communications, and clear narratives around risk and value.